Easy Ways to Live Greener

An eco-friendly lifestyle doesn't need to be difficult or expensive. Try these tips and tricks (plus over 65 more) from throughout Good Housekeeping's 125 years to create a home that'll make you — and the earth — proud.

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Green Around the Clock

This April 22 marks the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day, started to boost awareness about the environment — and to ensure that pro-planet types would no longer be ignored by legislators. But you don't have to be lobbying Congress to make a difference. Do your part by practicing these six habits each day

Green "to go." Not brewing at home? Take a travel cup to your favorite java joint; they may fill it at a discount.

At Work

Double up. Configure your office printer or copy machine so it prints on both sides of the page.

Put it to sleep. If you'll be away from your computer for more than 20 minutes, change it to "sleep" mode.

Running Errands

BYOB. Bags, that is. It's good for your wallet, too: Some retailers, such as CVS, now pay you for every disposable bag you don't take ($1 on a special CVS card for every four trips on which you BYO).

Before Bed

Truly turn off electronics. Plug your devices — the TV and DVD player, or the computer and printer — into a UL-certified power strip; switch the whole group off for the evening to prevent phantom electrical draw.

Start 'Em Young

Game off? Yep, get the kids to turn off video games (both the TV and the console) after they're done playing, and you'll win back about $100 per year.

Pitch in. Live in one of the 11 states with bottle bills? Have your kids collect aluminum cans and plastic bottles to redeem for cash to spend on a treat.

Don't tap out. Teach children to turn off the water while brushing their teeth. Leaving the tap running during the recommended two minutes of brushing can waste up to five gallons of water a day.

Book it. Dr. Seuss's 1971 book, The Lorax, stars a creature who "speaks for the trees" against those who'd cut them down. Talk about the message with your tykes (book and matching plush doll, $5 each, Kohl's).

Green My Ride

In January 1994, GH lamented that American cars were only required to average 27.5 miles per gallon, noting, "If the U.S. required American automakers to produce cars averaging 45 miles per gallon of gas (the Honda Civic VX already averages 55 mpg)... the country would save 3.1 million barrels of oil a day." So how are we doing? U.S. cars are required to average 35.5 miles per gallon — by 2016. In the meantime, use these three tricks to up your mpg.

21 Ways to Green Your Home (and keep some greenbacks in your pocket)

1. Switch to Energy Star-rated CFL bulbs, like GHRI fave Satco's Mini Spiral S6202; they use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than standard bulbs. You'll knock $30 off your electric bill for each bulb over its lifetime.

2. Plant trees around the house strategically (on the south and west sides; shading the air-conditioning unit, if possible) to save up to about $250 a year on cooling and heating.

3. Install dimmer switches in the living and dining rooms and three bedrooms to dial down electricity fees about $37 a year.

4. Since 1992 legislation, all new showerheads must have a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute or lower. Replace your old showerhead and save up to $45 a month for a family of four.

5. Wrap an insulation blanket around your water heater and lower its running cost as much as 9 percent.

6. Run a full dishwasher whenever possible — it uses half or less of the water and energy of washing the same dishes by hand. And don't waste water by rinsing before loading (today's machines are designed to power off the mess).

7. Invest in a faucet-mounted water filter for a low $30, and use refillable bottles like our top-rated GHRI pick, the Nalgene OTG Everyday 24-ounce bottle. By giving up bottled water, a family of four can save about $1,250 a year.

Double-Duty Ideas

The goal is "reduce, reuse, recycle."

8. Magazines. Roll up a couple of these and stick one into each of your calf- or knee-high boots so the footwear will keep its shape.

9. Empty paper-towel roll. Flatten,and use it to sheathe a knife kept in a drawer.

Recycling Do's and Don'ts

The U.S. is the number-one trash-producing country in the world, at 1,643 pounds per person per year. In 2008, only a third was recycled, reports the EPA, though experts say more can be. Here, a quick primer

FOR PAPER

1. Do: Recycle paper with staples, clips, or spirals intact — the metal will be filtered out by machines later. Don't: Include any paper with food stains (think pizza boxes), as they can contaminate a load.

FOR PLASTICS

2. Don't: Forget to remove bottle caps. They're made of a different type of plastic and can mess up a whole batch. Do: Return plastic bags to stores. Find a local spot at plasticbagrecycling.org.

4. Don't: Make the town dump your first stop. One person's trash is another's treasure — so when you want to ditch an old item, first try freecycle.org, Craigslist, or a thrift store that does pickups.

Paper, Paper, Everywhere!

1. Get off junk-mail lists Register with the Direct Marketing Association's DMAchoice mail preference service (dmachoice.org), and you'll see a significant reduction in mail after three months.

2. Permanently place a recycling box an arm's length from your mail bin so you can toss any remaining junk mail pronto.

3. Pay bills online, or set up automatic check paying from your bank account. No envelopes, no postage — and no late fees, if you're on an automatic plan.

7 Ways to Waste Less

• Buy refillable containers Spray bottles, for example, can be refilled from larger jugs or concentrate. Over time, you'll buy — and dispose of — fewer containers.

• Choose concentrated or "ultra" cleaning products, which use 50 to 60 percent less packaging than traditional formulas while cleaning just as thoroughly.

• Don't use more product than the directions indicate Pouring in extra laundry detergent or fabric softener won't get your clothes any cleaner or cuddlier. Instead, follow the markings as directed on the label.

5 Oldies but Goodies

Frequently the impetus was thrift, but Good Housekeeping has given "green" advice since the magazine started in 1885. Here, five blasts from our past, updated for the 21st century.

1. APRIL 1903

THEN: "All women should have personal knowledge of the sources of the home's supplies. It is not necessary to go every day to one's butcher's and grocer's, but an acquaintance with the tradesmen themselves is a necessity to good living."

NOW: Just plug in your zip code at eatwellguide.org to find nearby suppliers of organic and sustainably produced foods.

2. APRIL 1943

THEN: "Foods do not cook faster when they boil violently. If you turn down heat when boiling begins, you'll use less fuel, and foods won't boil over or burn dry."

NOW: The advice still makes sense — as does matching the pan size to the burner element. A six-inch pan on an eight-inch electric burner, for instance, will waste more than 40 percent of the heat produced, and food will take longer to cook.

3. MARCH 1944

THEN: "Grease from fingers or food is bad for your refrigerator door's rubber gasket. Wash it with soap and water. Don't make [your freezer] work overtime by making more ice cubes than needed."

NOW: These days there's a good chance your icemaker shuts off automatically. And more important than cleaning the gasket: dusting the coils underneath or on the back side of the fridge (accumulated dust can cause the motor to overheat and cost more to run). Unplug the appliance, and use your vacuum's crevice attachment or flat long-handled brush to carefully remove dust.

4. APRIL 1970

THEN: "Daily cooking produces grease, smoke, and odors that can cause eye and nose irritation. To remove cooking pollutants, a ceiling or a wall exhaust fan and two types of range hoods — vented and ventless — are available."

NOW: Still good advice, with one caveat: Choose a hood that vents to the outside, if you can.

5. JUNE 1979

THEN: "Combine your separate errands — bank, grocery, drugstore, cleaner's, etc. — into one trip and form carpools with others to get to and from."